Indiana University Northwest was awarded a $10,000 grant from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education to help high school seniors plan a path toward a college education.
IUN is partnering with Indiana Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP). The grant gives high school seniors access to postsecondary opportunities and assists them in completing the necessary steps for submitting college applications and securing financial aid.
The goal is to promote social and economic mobility by introducing students to higher education via personalized, hands-on activities with faculty and staff, IUN said.
IUN’s Office of Admissions will host 250 seniors from West Side Leadership Academy in Gary at an on-campus “Bridge to College Days Experience” in March. Open to WSLA students entering the fall 2022 semester, the event will feature motivational speakers and hands-on workshops.
“College enrollment gains have been negatively impacted by the pandemic, with underrepresented students accounting for the largest declines,” said Dorothy Frink, IUN associate vice chancellor for enrollment management. “This grant will show WSLA students the importance of obtaining a bachelor’s degree and provide them with the knowledge and resources they need to apply, pay for, and graduate from college.”
The Bridge to College Days Experience will be based on similar programs IUN already provides to students to transition from high school to college. IUN plans to deliver a similar on-campus program to high school juniors in January.
To learn more about Indiana GEAR UP is available at indianagearup.org.
